


Face the Sun

by timmy_cardiac



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff and more fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sad with a Happy Ending, annabeth is great, best pjo ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 13:54:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12608104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timmy_cardiac/pseuds/timmy_cardiac
Summary: For Nico, reality is hard to accept, even if things are going his way for once. He really needs to stop pushing people away when they try to help.ORNico diesn't want to lose Will so he runs away from him (fluff fluff fluff)





	Face the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by Fix You, a blitzstone fic by DarkPilot (go check it out this dude is amazing!) so I wrote this during class bc math isn't going to benefit me in life

“You don’t have to lie to me, I already know.” 

Nico was not in a good mood, and when Nico isn’t in a good mood all the campers make sure they stay at least ten feet away from the son of Hades and his cabin. Nico had a tendency to raise the dead when he was angry, whether on purpose or on accident no one could ever be sure. 

And we were doing so well, Annabeth though, looking over at the two of them. She leaned against the door of the armory and listened to them argue. It had been months since anyone had seen Nico so upset about anything. They had been hoping Nico would never be so dismal again. 

They were wrong. Nico wasn’t the type of person to pick one side, depressed or happy, and stick there all the time. And besides, he had just been shut inside a huge clay jar for like a week and was confronted by a love god in front of Jason. Like, cut him some slack, campers. Obviously he’s going to be on a funk once in a while. 

This was much more than just a funk. Annabeth worried there was no coming back from this. And maybe Nico would be so mad he would actually kill himself shadowtraveling as far away from Camp Half-Blood as possible. Did anyone else know besides her? Had another demigod seen Will and Nico standing in the archery range, about ready to claw each other’s eyes out? She hoped not. Nico may have been angry now, but she knew later he would lock himself in his cabin and no eat or sleep or do anything but lay in his bunk for days and cry. The last thing he would need then were campers spreading rumors and stories. 

Will ran his hands through his curls in frustration. “Nico, why won’t you listen to me? You could at least let me try to explain.” 

“I don’t need you to,” Nico responded sharply. “It’s not hard to figure out. I just wish you were brave enough to break up with me at the beginning.” 

Annabeth wanted to run to him and shake Nico until he finally got some sense into his head. From the looks of it, Will was feeling about the same. He made a sound like he was about to scream but was trying to stop himself. “When did you get any indication that I didn’t want you anymore?” His voice softened. “It’s only you, Nico. Why would I want anyone else?” 

Nico seemed to deflate a bit. “I didn’t think you did. Until Montes came along and I wasn’t good enough.” 

Oh, gods. Annabeth thought. Paolo. It was true there were a few occasions when she had seen Will’s eyes linger on Paolo for longer than was necessary, but she knew it wouldn’t start anything. She couldn’t imagine Will and Nico with anyone except each other. 

“You’ve always been good enough. You’re perfect, and I-” Will seemed to be at a loss for words. He held out his arms for a second, then decided maybe it wasn’t the best move and let them hang at his sides. “Nico,” he said, like that one word could convey so much more than he was able to describe. “Nico, please.” 

Nico shook his head slowly and took a step back so he was standing in the shadow of a pine tree. “I’m done” was all he said before melting into the darkness and disappearing. Will’s shoulders slumped like the empty space where Nico had stood was weighing on him. He caught Annabeth’s eye for a second. She saw the pleading there, Will begging her not to talk about it. Then his back straightened and he picked his bow up from the grass and walked away, where to Annabeth had no idea. 

 

Nico’s feet resolidified on the floor of Cabin 13, but as soon and he was himself again his legs wouldn’t support his weight and he fell against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting. He was so tired. The jump from the archery range to his cabin shouldn’t have taken barely any energy, but now he felt like he needed to sleep, but he doubted he wouldn’t be able to, even if he got in bed.

You’re not tired, stupid. He pulled his knees against his chest and did his best not to start having a panic attack. It didn’t work. His hands shook and his heart was beating rapidly in his ears. He tried to take a deep breath, but it sounded shaky and cracked. But he didn’t cry. Not yet. 

Nico wasn’t stupid-he knew Will loved him. But it was too much to comprehend some days. Why. when there was so much more wIll could have in life, would the son of Apollo choose him? When there were better options, people who were nicer-looking and just nicer in general, why would anyone want someone like him? 

Of course he wanted Will. Will was perfect and sweet and everything Nico had ever dreamed of. It felt unreal. Some days Nico convinced himself that it wasn’t. He would wake up lonely but with fond memories of the dream he had, then Will would come to the cabin and the dream would start all over again. He didn’t want anyone to take Will away. So he wanted to get rid of Will before the inevitable came. And the inevitable was coming fast, from all sides. 

Someone knocked on his door. Will. He almost sat against the door so Will couldn’t come in, but then Nico remembered the door was still locked. He stayed quiet and tried not to make any noises. But then the lock clicked and the door opened, and Annabeth walked in before Nico could send her away. So he said nothing. 

Annabeth crouched on the floor next to him. She didn’t say anything either. She studied him closely, as if she could pull the answers out of his head. He didn’t know which one to give, but he had to give one. He even wanted to, a little. Annabeth was sensible, and she probably wouldn’t criticize him. 

“I know he’s telling the truth,” Nico started. “It’s obvious. He’s been so desperate lately, trying to convince me.” He said it like it was funny, to tone down Annabeth’s concern. He even planned on laughing, like it was all a game. But his laugh came out as a sob, and then he was bawling so hard that everything else melted away and there was only the pain. Was Annabeth still there? She might have been hugging him right then, but all of his sensors had turned off and he was felt in darkness. He couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t. 

He wished Will was there. He messed everything up because he couldn’t even deal when things were the way he wanted. There was no way he could spend the rest of his life alone now. Nico had felt what love was, and even though it was only for a few months the need had been etched into his brain. 

He started running out of tears. Annabeth’s arm felt nice around Nico’s shoulders, though she wasn’t nearly as warm as Will. Well, let’s face it-nothing about her was as good as Will. Nobody was that amazing. He leaned on Annabeth’s shoulder and closed his eyes. He realized how uncomfortable and familiar the tears felt drying on his face. He was too tired to do anything about it now. 

 

“Nico, wake up,” Annabeth said. Her voice was nice, and it honestly made him want to sleep more. Plus, it felt like she had moved him to his bed, and there was no way she could expect him to get up when he was in his bed. 

“Nico.” 

Ugh, fine. He peeked out, but Annabeth wasn’t there. Will was. He sat next to Nico’s bed, holding his hand. They looked at each other, and Nico timidly curled his fingers around Will’s. He was afraid Will might vanish if they weren’t touching in some way. 

“Why are you here?” Nico asked. His voice sounded far away, disconnected from his body. 

“Because I love you,” Will whispered, leaning over to kiss Nico’s forehead. 

“I love you too,” Nico whispered back. It was a relief to say those words again. He tilted his head back against the pillows and kissed Will’s lips softly. “I’m sorry,” he said when they parted. 

Will grinned at him. “I know. Annabeth told me. I’m not leaving, okay? No matter what, I’ll be here.” He squeezed his hand tighter. 

Nico felt like crying again, but he doubted he had any water left in him. So he reached up and wrapped an arm around Will, pulling him closer. “Thank you.” 

Nico could feel Will’s smile against his cheek. “Anything for you, Sunshine,”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm pretty sure I need an online generator for title names because I make mine up in about two seconds so that's why they're so crappy T.T


End file.
